


the memories on your breath

by Imnotweirdjustwriting



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Angst, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Underage Drinking, sad dad memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 11:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10639116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imnotweirdjustwriting/pseuds/Imnotweirdjustwriting
Summary: The smell of mint is something that belongs to Gansey, but on bad days it belongs to Niall too.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [poor_guys_headisspinning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poor_guys_headisspinning/gifts).



> This idea was originally from Gansey's POV so let's hope it is as effective. 
> 
> Thank you to my sweet lovely friend poor_guys_headisspinning for giving me the title.

The barns had an abundance of things. Dream creatures and dream objects. Gentle wives and strange sons. Ronan remembers most of it, but there is one thing he's probably trying to forget. On good days, mint reminds him of Gansey. But on bad days, on days like this, it reminds him of Niall. How his father used to walk Ronan down to the barn to see the animals. How the wild mint grew neatly clumped around the entrance. How they used to pull up the leaves and smell them, Niall grinning at his middle son. 

Today is a bad day. He'd tried to pretend it wasn't, shutting himself in his room and away from Gansey, but he can't escape it. Everything in Monmouth smells like mint. It lingers, suffocating him like a cloth over his mouth. He needs it gone, needs fresh air, or something other than this. Every inhale brings sharper memories of his father, his black hair and harsh smile so similar to Ronan's. It aches, a deep cut in his chest that stings with every breath. 

Ronan drags himself out of his room to see Gansey. He's hunched over his desk, scribbling something in his journal. It's too late for either of them to be awake, yet they both are. Ronan moves past him to the kitchen/bathroom to grab a beer from the fridge. Gansey looks up at the sound of the bottle opening to fix Ronan with a disapproving look. 

"It's almost 3 am," he points out. He looks strange with his glasses and t shirt, a boy that Ronan doesn't really know. Ronan holds the beer out to Gansey, offering him a drink. 

"No," Gansey says, turning away from Ronan. Ronan takes a long drink for himself, settling against the side of Gansey's desk. The smell of mint is strongest here, enough to make Ronan's head pound. He almost finishes the beer, still staring at Gansey. He offers him a drink again. Gansey's eyes are strange as he regards Ronan. Ronan stares back, his eyes intense and bright. Gansey's gaze resolves into something near pity and he takes the bottle. Ronan watches his throat move as he swallows, cringing a little at the taste. 

The relief is instantaneous. The sharp burn of alcohol masked the mint that had been torturing Ronan. 

Gansey hands him the bottle. "What do you want, Ronan?" 

Ronan sets the bottle down. The mint is gone and his head is clear again. Well, clear besides the slight buzz from the alcohol. Gansey is watching him with such a look, Ronan doesn't think. He takes Gansey's face in his hands and kisses him. Gansey doesn't pull away, just wraps his hands under the sleeves of Ronan's tank top to hold him there. Ronan coaxes Gansey's mouth open. He tastes like beer, and deeper than that is the sweet flavor of mint. Ronan almost cringes away but kisses him harder instead. Gansey's hands move, pushing Ronan away. Ronan reels back like he's been burned. 

"What was that?" Gansey asks, breathless. His glasses are crooked and his lips are red. Ronan wants to kiss him more. Ronan can't kiss him more. 

"I had to," Ronan says, like that's an answer. He can't tell what Gansey is thinking. His mouth tastes like mint. "I need another beer," he says finally, moving away from Gansey. 

Gansey grabs his arm to stop him. "You can't just drink this away," he warns. 

"I can try."

Gansey pulls Ronan back towards him, crushing their lips together, almost hard enough to be painful. Ronan tastes the mint again and gives in. They both want this. He tangles his hands in Gansey's hair, kissing him like it's the only thing keeping him alive. Maybe it is. Gansey clutches his shirt, soft noises escaping from the back of his throat. Ronan lets himself kiss Gansey a moment longer before pulling away. He picks up what's left of the beer and downs it. Gansey is still watching him. 

"Why did you do that?" Gansey asks, his voice quiet. 

"Do what? Kiss you?" Ronan asks. He's already defensive again, any tiny sign of vulnerability tucked away. 

"No, why did you come out here? Why did you have me drink?" Gansey doesn't seem angry. 

Ronan takes a very deep breath before answering. "I couldn't stand the smell anymore. The mint. I needed it to stop."

"Mint? Why?"

"My dad. It reminds me of him. Most of the time it doesn't, but tonight it just...did."

Gansey stands up from his desk finally. "Ronan, I'm sorry, I didn't know." He looks at Ronan like he's seeing him for the first time. 

"Don't look at me like that," Ronan says, but all of the anger is gone from his voice. "I'm just tired. I can't risk it-" he pauses, searching for a good way to tell Gansey. "I can't risk the dreams."

Gansey pulls Ronan away from the desk and towards his bed, sitting on the edge with Ronan. "You don't have to worry about it. You can just stay here, with me."

Gansey keeps a gentle hand on Ronan as Ronan considers. He nods to Gansey. His smile is small but brighter than Ronan is used to. Gansey's hands are soft as he guides Ronan into a sleeping position, pulling his heavy blankets over Ronan's legs and wrapping an arm around his waist. 

"Is this too much? The mint, I mean?" Gansey asks. He's curled around Ronan, just far enough away to provide comfort without smothering him. Ronan almost wishes he would move closer. 

"This is fine." Ronan's eyes are heavy. "Thank you." 

Gansey lays his other hand flat against Ronan's back, fingers touching the claws and vines. "You can tell me when it gets to be too much next time. I'll get some Febreze or something."

Ronan turns for a moment, kissing Gansey once more. "Shut up so I can sleep."

Gansey is quiet, and Ronan finally manages to rest, mint once again belonging to Gansey.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I wrote this is thirty minutes. Tell me any mistakes. Talk to me about Raven Boys. Send prompts. Do whatever you feel like I love you all.


End file.
